Negotiations continue between NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to avert a potential rail strike scheduled for early Friday. The main points of contention are wages and working conditions. The union seeks an average yearly salary increase to $170,000, while NJ Transit disputes this figure, stating that engineers already earn an average of $135,000 annually. If no agreement is reached, a strike would disrupt services for approximately 350,000 daily commuters. NJ Transit plans to enhance bus services and contract private carriers to mitigate the impact, though capacity will remain limited. Commuters are advised to prepare for significant disruptions if the strike proceeds. — new from ABC7 New York
